Providing toothpaste beads positioned on dispensing medium

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods to dispense toothpaste include toothpaste beads positioned onto a dispensing medium. The toothpaste beads may be individually stored and accessed for use on a toothbrush.

I. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to the U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/181,267, entitled “Toothpaste Dots,” filed on May 26, 2009, and claims the benefit of the filing data thereof. The entire disclosure of the above is incorporated into this application by reference.

II. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to oral hygiene products, and more particularly, to toothpaste packaging and dispensing.

III. BACKGROUND

Conventional toothpaste delivery mediums can be messy and wasteful. For example, it may be challenging for some to dispense an appropriate amount of toothpaste from a tube. An amount of toothpaste in the tube may further be unsalvageable. Bottle and pump dispensers may similarly deliver toothpaste in an imprecise amount and errant direction. Pre-packaged toothpaste and toothbrush combinations require a user to discard the toothbrush after a single use. Travel size restrictions may further limit the versatility of conventional toothpaste dispensers.

IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a plurality of toothpaste beads arranged in a row and positioned on a dispensing medium;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a plurality of toothpaste beads arranged in a grid of rows and positioned on a dispensing medium;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of a plurality of toothpaste beads sandwiched between a dispensing medium and a cover layer;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a third embodiment of toothpaste beads comprising detachable portions of a strip;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of a plurality of toothpaste beads individually encapsulated by a dispensing medium and a plurality of cover layers; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a dispensing apparatus configured to dispense toothpaste beads.

V. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Toothpaste use may be improved by providing a plurality of toothpaste beads conveyed by a dispensing medium. The toothpaste beads may be individually stored and accessed and may comprise an appropriately sized quantity. Toothpaste beads positioned on the same dispensing medium may include one or more different shapes, colorings, designs, images, and flavors. The toothpaste beads of an embodiment may have a moderately dehydrated consistency. The toothpaste beads of different embodiments may range from being moist to dry. The toothpaste beads may include different thickness. For example, a toothpaste bead may be rounded or may be flat. A toothpaste bead may include an additive, such as a breath or flavor enhancing chemical.

An embodiment of the dispensing medium may comprise a plastic ribbon on which the toothpaste beads are positioned, or otherwise attached. A computer programmable machine may automatically position the plurality of toothpaste beads onto the dispensing medium according to a programmed plan. Characteristics, such as bead placement, size, thickness, color, etc., may be programmed into the bead placing machinery for execution. The dispensing medium may be spooled or stored in strips. The dispensing medium may be bendable or rigid.

The dispensing medium may be scored or otherwise segmented into sections that are associated with each toothpaste bead. Alternatively, the dispending medium may be manually torn or mechanically separated into portions in the absence of pre-scored portions. A cover layer may overlay the toothpaste beads for preserving or containing the toothpaste beads. Alternatively, the toothpaste beads may stick to the dispensing medium on their own. For example, either or both the toothpaste beads and the dispensing medium may be sticky or tacky at the time the toothpaste beads are positioned onto the dispensing medium. A toothpaste bead may alternatively be attached to the dispending medium using an intermediate, adhering substance, or by using heat treatment. The cover layer and the dispensing medium may be made from recyclable material, such as recyclable plastic. Portions of either or both of the cover layer and the dispensing medium may Include patterns, colors, and designs that are different than adjacent portions.

A dispenser may advance the dispensing medium in response to a user input. For example, a user may apply force to a button, handle, or trigger of the dispenser to mechanically advance the dispensing medium. The dispenser may automatically advance and cut the dispensing medium. A dispenser may be wall-mounted or may include a stand. The dispenser may additionally be pocket-sized. In another dispensing embodiment, the user may manually pull on a free end of the dispensing medium to advance it. The user may further manually detach a portion of the dispending medium from another portion. Different lengths or sizes of the dispensing medium may be individually packaged in to travel-sized containers (e.g., each container including a preset number of dispensing mediums of a certain size and length).

In use, a toothbrush may be wet and swiped along the dispensing medium to pick up the toothpaste bead. Alternatively, the toothpaste bead may have enough water content such that the toothbrush is not pre-wetted. When present, the cover layer may be first peeled away or otherwise removed. Alternatively, the toothpaste bead may be forcibly pushed through either of the cover layer or the dispensing medium. Where no cover layer is present, the user may press on, wriggle, or otherwise manipulate the dispensing medium in a manner that causes the toothpaste bead to fall onto a toothbrush.

Turning more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an apparatus 100 that includes a plurality of toothpaste beads 106 positioned on a dispensing medium 102. The dispensing medium 102 may be pre-scored, as denoted by lines 104. The scoring may facilitate manual or mechanical separation.

FIG. 2 shows an apparatus 200 that includes a dispensing medium on which a plurality of toothpaste beads 206-212 are positioned. The toothpaste beads 206-212 may include different shapes, flavorings, colors, and designs. The surface of the dispensing medium, as shown in portions 220-225, may include different colors and markings.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of an apparatus 300 that includes toothpaste beads 306 positioned on a dispensing medium 302. In an embodiment, the dispensing medium 302 may be the dispensing medium 102, 202 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. A cover layer 308 may cover the toothpaste beads 306 (e.g., to protect and/or secure). The cover layer 308 may be translucent. Alternatively, the cover layer 308 may include markings, designations, or designs. The dispensing medium 302 and the cover layer 308 may include scoring 304.

FIG. 4 shows an apparatus 400 that includes toothpaste beads 402 that are substantially planar. The toothpaste beads may include scoring 404 to facilitate separation. The toothpaste beads may thus be connected in a single strip. The strip may be rigid, gel-like in consistency, or somewhere in between. The strip may be positioned on a dispensing medium (not shown), or may be packaged (e.g., rolled, boxed, etc.) for use independent of a dispensing medium. For example, a user or dispenser may cut or tear a portion of the strip for placement on a toothbrush.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an apparatus 500 that includes toothpaste beads 506 positioned on a dispensing medium 502. In an embodiment, the dispensing medium 502 may be the dispensing medium 102, 202 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. Multiple cove r layers 508 may encapsulate or otherwise individually cover the toothpaste beads 306. A cover layer 508 may be translucent. Alternatively, a cover layer 508 may include markings, designations, or designs. The dispensing medium 502 may include scoring 504.

FIG. 6 shows a dispensing apparatus 600 that includes dispenser 602 configured to dispense a spool 604 of dispensing medium that includes a plurality of toothpaste beads. An advancing mechanism 606 may advance the spool 604. For example, a user may depress a button or turn a handle to cause the advancing mechanism to mechanically and/or automatically advance the spool 604 by a preset amount. A separating mechanism 608 may receive and separate the spooled dispensing medium. The separating mechanism may mechanically align the dispending medium with an edge or other separating instrument to facilitate separation.

Embodiments may encourage good hygiene by offering varieties of differently flavored, colored, and shaped toothpaste beads. Cleanliness may be facilitated by the measured quantity and contained nature of each toothpaste bead. The toothpaste beads may be convenient for travel and packaging.

While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of various embodiments and while these embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the Applicant to restrict, or any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. For example, attaching a toothpaste bead to a dispensing medium may include positioning the toothpaste bead in between layers of the dispensing medium. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus, methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope of Applicant's general inventive concept. 

1. An apparatus, comprising: a dispensing medium configured to be separated into a plurality of portions; and a plurality of toothpaste beads positioned on the dispensing medium, wherein at least one toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads is positioned on each of the plurality of portions, and wherein at least a portion of the one toothpaste bead is configured to be removed from the dispensing medium onto a toothbrush.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads differs from a second toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads by a characteristic that includes at least one of a shape, an image, an additive, a thickness, a size, a design, a color, and a flavor.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cover layer positioned on a side of a toothpaste bead opposite the dispensing medium.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the cover layer is translucent.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of toothpaste beads are arranged in at least one of a raw and a grid.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dispensing medium is scored along adjacent portions.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portions of the dispensing medium include at least one of different markings, different colors, different images, and different designs.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dispenser configured to separate the portions of the dispensing medium.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the dispenser is configured to advance the dispensing medium.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dispensing medium is configured to be spooled.
 11. A method of dispensing toothpaste, the method including: automatically positioning a plurality of toothpaste beads onto a dispensing medium, wherein the dispensing medium is separable into portions each having a toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads positioned thereon, wherein at least a portion of the toothpaste bead is configured to be removed from the dispensing medium onto a toothbrush; and packaging the dispensing medium for sale.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising positioning a cover layer over a toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads, wherein the cover layer and the dispensing medium form a cavity that includes the toothpaste bead.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising configured the cover layer to be peeled away from the toothpaste bead.
 14. The method of claim 11, configuring a first toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads to differ from a second toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads by a characteristic that includes at least one of a shape, an image, an additive, a thickness, a size, a design, a color, and a flavor.
 15. The method of claim 11, further comprising spooling the dispensing medium.
 16. The method of claim 11, further comprising arranging a plurality of toothpaste beads into at least one of a row and a grid.
 17. The method of claim 11, further comprising scoring the dispensing medium.
 18. The method of claim 11, further comprising executing program code configured to selectively modify a characteristic of a toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads, wherein the characteristic is selected from a group consisting of: a shape, an image, at additive, a thickness, a size, a design, a color, and a flavor.
 19. A method of dispensing toothpaste, the method including: advancing a plurality of toothpaste beads towards a separating mechanism, wherein the toothpaste beads are configured to be positioned onto a toothbrush; aligning a toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads with the separating mechanism; and separating the toothpaste bead using the separating mechanism.
 20. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of toothpaste beads comprise a strip. 